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The Morning Skate, May 11: Magic on Mother’s Day, Canucks as Bridesmaids and the coach’s powerhttp://blogs.theprovince.com/2015/05/11/the-morning-skate-may-11-magic-on-mothers-day-canucks-as-bridesmaids-and-the-coachs-magic/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2015/05/11/the-morning-skate-may-11-magic-on-mothers-day-canucks-as-bridesmaids-and-the-coachs-magic/#commentsMon, 11 May 2015 16:28:48 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=188880How was your Mother’s Day? Hopefully pretty good. A lot of you took the time to recognize it on social media; that was nice to see.

Let’s bridge two things here that are of interest to me: being kind to …

]]>How was your Mother’s Day? Hopefully pretty good. A lot of you took the time to recognize it on social media; that was nice to see.

Let’s bridge two things here that are of interest to me: being kind to your mother and rugby.

“Never give anybody power of attorney,” Peca told the New York Daily News.

Slowly but surely, the Lions are coming into frame. The New York Football Giants had a camp last week. One of the invitees was SFU’s Lemar Durant and Port Coquitlam native Sukh Chungh, who LU wrote about this weekend. Anyway, the worry was that the Giants would make a number of offers, clouding the availability for tomorrow’s CFL draft. They didn’t – so teams are breathing easier.

Stanley Cup Stuff

As George Johnson of the Herald noted, this was a season where Calgary re-built the faith of their fans. His column on last night game deals a fair bit with the post-game presser where Kari Ramo refused to further explain why he was so upset with the referees about the winning goal. It’s one of those moments where a writer can really impress by painting a picture and framing the words so you can feel how frustrated the player is. You get a clear picture of that here. Also here:

What the Flames do next is an important question: like the Canucks, they’re a team that rode some bounces to find some success, but to keep it going, there’s still a lot of work to do.

One thing they’ve got right is their coach. I’ve been so impressed by the job Bob Hartley has done this year. His strategy has been desperate at times, but he’s played with what’s in front of him and he’s let his players play. He’s made som calculated risks – and they’ve paid off. Other coaches had tried a similar approach and it’s unlikely the Flames succeed next year with this same group, but you’ve got to give the man behind the bench credit here. He got his team to play disciplined hockey. He made getting shots on net hard for the other team to do. He switched goalies with a deft touch. He saw how thin his defence was and decided to ride the crap out of his best three. His team was flawed, he knew it but he squeezed everything he could out of what he had and hoped to get some breaks. The Flames finally ran out of breaks on Sunday night.

NHL teams coached by Bruce Boudreau have finished 1st in their division every single season he's coached at least 60 games.

Of course, if the Rangers do pull off the comeback, a certain coach will land in the spotlight. Most of the words over at the New York Post in the wake of game 6 were about the players – including hero Chris Kreider. But here are the words of the coach, because you miss them so much:

Walloping Whitecaps

That Philly team was one of the poorest we’ve seen in the five MLS seasons we’ve seen in Vancouver. They didn’t have much going forward while the Whitecaps made plenty happen on attack and nailed three goals in the process.

Honestly, I’ve never understood why guys *with* hair always speak so adamantly about what balding guys should do? Like Is it because you’re self-conscious about what’s to come?

Anyway, one day you’ll have no hair left and you’ll be fine with it.

The grief of A-Rod

Sportsnet Magazine’s Shannon Proudfoot on the Yankees slugger, who’s by all the numbers one of the greats, isn’t the first to be less than likeable and who tears fans apart”

Yankees fans are stuck with him, and pretty quickly, their opinions sort themselves into a familiar framework. There’s denial (“I never liked the guy”); anger (“He needs to go away, I hope he gets hurt”); bargaining (“Maybe they’ll just eat the contract and cut him”); depression (“I never thought they’d bring him back”); and acceptance (“If he hits well and shuts his mouth, he can stay”). Yankees fans are working their way through the stages of A-Rod grief.

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2015/05/11/the-morning-skate-may-11-magic-on-mothers-day-canucks-as-bridesmaids-and-the-coachs-magic/feed/0PNG 0926S canucksrangers 341pericosMatt O'Connor is a goalie for Boston University and also reportedly on the Canucks' radar.. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)Ryan Kesler will be back jostling for position with Alex Edler and the like in front of Eddie Lack tonight. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)CALGARY, ; APRIL 13, 2015 -- Head coach Bob Hartley explains a drill as the Calgary Flames continue to practice hard as they head into the first round of playoffs on April 13, 2014. (Lorraine HJalte/Calgary Herald) For Sports story by . Trax # 00064193Amikebabcock LEFT TO RIGHT: New Habs coach Alain Vigneault, assistant coach Clement Jodoin, new AHL coach Michel Terrien, goalie coach Roland Melanson and GM Rejean Houle in June, 1997. (Dave Sidaway/The Gazette)The Morning Skate, Nov. 18: Mr. Hockey, Uncle Murray, playing hockey for fun and the Rockford Fileshttp://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/11/18/the-morning-skate-nov-18-mr-hockey-uncle-murray-playing-hockey-for-fun-and-the-rockford-files/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/11/18/the-morning-skate-nov-18-mr-hockey-uncle-murray-playing-hockey-for-fun-and-the-rockford-files/#commentsTue, 18 Nov 2014 17:35:14 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=170546The Penticton airport waiting room is very, very small.

No complaints here, but I did learn this on Sunday.

I was flying back to Vancouver from a trip I didn’t want to have to make: my uncle had passed away …

]]>The Penticton airport waiting room is very, very small.

No complaints here, but I did learn this on Sunday.

I was flying back to Vancouver from a trip I didn’t want to have to make: my uncle had passed away the week before and it was his memorial this past Saturday.

My uncle Murray was the nicest guy you could imagine. He was calm. He raised six kids. He loved my aunt. And he drove a Greyhound bus for more than 30 years.

Maybe you rode his bus? He usually was driving a bus from Vancouver to the Okanagan.

He was exactly what you wanted from a bus driver – courteous, considerate and a great talker when called upon.

He was also a pretty great uncle. I didn’t get to see him much in recent years – adult life can do that – but it was always great to see him. I knew I could always count on him for a good chat. He was always interested in what I was doing, curious about what I was thinking about.

His memorial on Saturday was as lovely as you can have in such a situation. He drew a huge turnout of his colleagues, many of whom knew him only as a jovial workmate. His sons gave wonderful speeches. His stepdaughter and sister in law (my mum) both read poems. Some of his work mates shared funny and caring thoughts.

(I even had a chuckle when I arrived in the lobby of the hotel where the memorial was held – there was a swarm of men. You could just tell they were Greyhound drivers: all reasonably trim, all about the same height, all with the same slightly-balding, side-parted old-school haircut.)

But it still sucked. We all know that the end of the line is out there – but it should never come to us early. Murray died too soon.

The lesson, of course, is love your family and friends. Don’t get caught up in the b.s. well all let ourselves get caught up in too often. Take a deep breath, find a moment to smile, and come back at it again. Life’s short – so don’t let it get the best of you.

Murray loved to tell a tale. He loved good company. He kept himself in tip-top shape. He lived well.

Alright, lets get to it.

Mr. Hockey

You’ve likely already heard the news about Gordie Howe.

It’s not good. His son Mark reports his dad took a turn for the worse last week. The sense is, it’s become a question of ‘when’ not ‘if’.

Keith Olbermann lead his ESPN show on Monday with a tribute to man who dominated hockey when that was an especially impressive thing to do (no knock against The Great One or Mario the Magnificient or Sid the Kid, this is contextual). He mentions the ad above but adds some more twists.

(That’s Vey in the bottom right. He’s played soft minutes against weaker opposition – and his opponents are still dominating shot attempts.)

The Canucks also put in plenty of work on the powerplay on Monday. They’ve not had much chance to practise the man advantage in recent weeks and that’s one possible explanation for why they’ve slid to 17th from 7th in the league.

Thomas Drance (who’ll be back on Province Sports Radio’s Hockey Numbers podcast on Thursday) did his weekly power rankings for The Score on Monday and he’s got the Canucks way down the list. Still. He rightly points out a disturbing trend: the Canucks tend to lose big while winning only close games. Those aren’t results which suggest an overall winning pattern.

Canadian Content

TO sports writers who are upset by Kessel's silence and aversion to media should read @susancain's Quiet for some insight. #introverts

That’s one of the things that’s got me bother about this whole Kessel hates the media storm. I don’t blame him for reacting like he did on the weekend. The game sucked and he didn’t want to talk about it. He’ll talk again, but there’s no real need to get a quote from him in that context, is there? “Kessel was so angry about the team’s poor performance that he expressed with great displeasure how little he wanted to talk about it.” That’s your sentence right there.

Sounds like everyone is interested in Ryan O’Reilly. Shocked, right? Darren Dreger told TSN 1260 in Edmonton that both the Leafs and the Jets have shown interest in the past – and perhaps the Oilers might be a fit. But do Colorado even want to let him go, he ponders; this is all speculation at this point.

Always loved this one. Love Gord’s special UK-themed intro on this version.

Those Woeful Leos

Willes’ Musings this week is all about that sad sack local football squad. There’s fragility throughout, he notes. From the coach’s job security to the offensive line to Travis Lulay’s shoulder. Ed’s not sure Mike Benevides is gone, despite what the mob may be demanding.

The Ducks are in Calgary tonight. Jonas Hiller is starting for the Flames against his old squad. Scott Cruikshank finds Hiller’s not going to write a tell-all book – like Teemu Selanne has – but does admit he didn’t like losing Bruce Boudreau’s trust. It’s a tough gig, telling veteran players that maybe they’re done.

As for Selanne’s feelings? He comes off a bit like Brodeur – but at least Selanne announced he was retired. He makes it seem like he wasn’t pumped about that either.

Here’s the scoop from The Guardian. Jose shot his finger off, it was re-attached, was quite clearly dead flesh, it fell off, now he’s going to sell all the relevant parts of this story.

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/11/18/the-morning-skate-nov-18-mr-hockey-uncle-murray-playing-hockey-for-fun-and-the-rockford-files/feed/0B2uaL9fCEAAIpjRpericos1404737_10154963027370227_258171165341983054_oColorado Avalanche v Vancouver CanucksScreen Shot 2014-11-18 at 8.38.54 AMVancouver Canucks v Dallas StarsbrodeurSURREY, BC: SEPTEMBER 9, 2014 - BC Lions injured quarterback Travis Lulay, left and replacement Kevin Glenn, right flank head coach Mike Benevides, centre during a practice at the CFL team's training facility in Surrey Tuesday September 9, 2014. (Ric Ernst / PNG) (Story by sports) TRAX #: 00031631A & 00031631B [PNG Merlin Archive].Bonino brings versatility, smarts, clutch goals to Canucks in Kesler trade packagehttp://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/06/27/bonino-brings-versatility-smarts-clutch-goals-to-canucks-in-kesler-trade-package/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/06/27/bonino-brings-versatility-smarts-clutch-goals-to-canucks-in-kesler-trade-package/#commentsFri, 27 Jun 2014 22:57:39 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=157150In a perfect world, Nick Bonino is probably a third-line NHL centre. But it’s not a perfect world in Vancouver and the Canucks franchise is spinning into another orbit by clearing salary cap space Friday and setting itself up to …]]>In a perfect world, Nick Bonino is probably a third-line NHL centre. But it’s not a perfect world in Vancouver and the Canucks franchise is spinning into another orbit by clearing salary cap space Friday and setting itself up to hopefully be somewhat of a player in free agency next week.

So, for now, Bonino is the second-line centre to replace Ryan Kesler. The Canucks dealt their leading scorer to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday morning for Bonino, defenceman Luca Sbisa, 24, and the 24th pick in the 2014 draft. They also swapped third-round picks with the Ducks and sent it to the New York Rangers for 27-year-old winger Derek Dorsett. Not sure how all that is going to address a dire need for offence because the Canucks were ranked 26th on the power play and 28th offensively this season and have been sliding badly since their heady 2011 run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. But in Bonino, 26, they get a versatile centre/winger with a high hockey I.Q. who can make smart plays, is good down low and scores clutch goals. He’s coming off a career high 22 goals this season and knows what to expect in the ultra-tough Pacific Division. He’s also a good cap fit at $1.9 million US the next three seasons. But he’s not Kesler.

“I think all my life I would say I’ve never been a bad skater, but some guys skate real well and I’ve been one of those guys who gets by with his head and his hands,” said Bonino. “Trying to make plays and being responsible, that’s what I’ll keep trying to do.

“At this point in my career, I’ve kind of done whatever a team has needed me to do. I think every centre’s goal is to be as high on the depth chart as he can be, so I don’t want to say anything about where I’ll play the lineup because that’s not for me to decided. You want to play and get ice time and this is a great opportunity for me.”

It will be because versatility will probably figure into what Willie Desjardins will ice next season. He coached Dorsett with the Medicine Hat Tigers and the grinder will irritate and check and bang and crash. But he has scored just 31 goals in 331 career NHL games. As for Bonino, knowing the 6-foot-1,186 pound centre played wing with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry and played in the middle of a variety of wingers won’t hurt his roster stock.

“I played the middle since high school and like it because you want to have your feet moving and go zero to 60 right away and that makes it easier for me to get around,” added Bonino. “I played with Kyle Palmieri was and Daniel Winnik in the playoffs and we switched it up a lot. There was some crazy stat about how I only had the same wingers eight per cent of the season — my highest frequency with the same guys. It was interesting.

“(Bruce) Boudreau liked to go on feel and who was playing well. He was pretty successful with it. And this is something I’ve wanted to do my whole life. It’s pretty cool to be living the dream out and now in Canada it’s just that much more intense.”

That’s putting it mildly. It won’t take long for fans to know his name and his game in Vancouver.

“Being a player, you want to be in a hockey market with a hockey atmosphere like it is in Vancouver,” said Bonino. “I’m very excited about it. We saw them (Canucks) a lot during the regular season and they were a gritty team and tough to play against. I know it’s a team with skill that didn’t have its best year. Seeing what they’re trying to do — maybe go a little youthful and turn it around — and to join that and know we’re in a tough division it’s pretty exciting.”

bkuzma@theprovince.com
twitter.com/benkuzma

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/06/27/bonino-brings-versatility-smarts-clutch-goals-to-canucks-in-kesler-trade-package/feed/0Dallas Stars v Anaheim Ducksbenkuzma1Canucks Hat Trick: Kesler trade value tops Spezza, wing and a prayer, Weise has last laughhttp://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/06/17/canucks-hat-trick-kesler-trade-value-tops-spezza-wing-and-a-prayer-weise-has-last-laugh/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/06/17/canucks-hat-trick-kesler-trade-value-tops-spezza-wing-and-a-prayer-weise-has-last-laugh/#commentsTue, 17 Jun 2014 16:00:53 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=155989Three things to ponder as we await the next move in the Ryan Kesler chess match, the wing-and-a-prayer roster dilemma and why Dale Weise is having the last laugh on John Tortorella:

1. KESLER TRUMPS SPEZZA: At the trade deadline, …

]]>Three things to ponder as we await the next move in the Ryan Kesler chess match, the wing-and-a-prayer roster dilemma and why Dale Weise is having the last laugh on John Tortorella:

1. KESLER TRUMPS SPEZZA: At the trade deadline, Darryl Sutter’s biggest concern for the Los Angeles Kings was how to beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. The acquisition of winger Marian Gaborik from the Columbus Blue Jackets — in exchange for forward Matt Frattin and a pair of second-round picks — gave the Kings the game-breaker they needed to win their second championship in three years. Gaborik led playoff scoring with 14 goals and even though he’s an unrestricted free agent, the winger was worth the gamble because Sutter saw the potential of an alignment with Anze Kopitar. Which brings us to the curious case of the Anaheim Ducks.

The lament for Bruce Boudreau — how are we going to beat the Kings? — is based on the dire need for a strong two-way centre to slot in behind Ryan Getzlaf. The Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins strongly targeted Kesler at the deadline and the Ducks will come calling again because Kesler has an agenda and was willing his no-trade clause in March to move to a contender. Hard to imagine his wish has changed even though the centre has met with Jim Benning and the Canucks general manager said that the parties would “continue to communicate and go from there.” Go might be the operative word and if that’s the case, that list of six desirable destinations for Kesler could expand. You have to think Philadelphia might be in the mix because the Flyers had some level of interest at the deadline and did tender an offer sheet to Kesler. And wouldn’t Kesler love to play with Patrick Kane so the Blackhawks could answer the same question: How are we going to beat the Kings?

Spezza has requested a trade, and Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray says he’ll try to make that happen THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

What the Ducks could see in Kesler as opposed to the available Jason Spezza as a fit would be compelling. Aside from financial considerations — Kesler has two years left at $5 million US annually and Spezza one at $4 million before he becomes an unrestricted free agent — there’s the push and push-back that the Ducks need in the torturous Pacific Division and what they’re willing to part with. You think gritty shutdown centre who plays his best when presented with that challenge and you think Kesler — especially if he’s healthy — and you think of him as a prime penalty killer, too. You don’t think Spezza. Kesler also led the Canucks in goals (25) and power-play goals (9), while Spezza had 23 goals in a softer conference. And if the Ottawa Senators are adamant that a top-six forward, highly-ranked prospect and a first-round 2014 draft pick must come back in a trade package for Spezza, then Benning can at least set the bar that high for Kesler. Maybe higher.

The Calgary Flames have made a pitch for Spezza — offering a veteran and young forward, a defenceman and picks but no first-round selection — yet it’s moot because the centre reportedly told the Senators he doesn’t want to play in another Canadian market. The St. Louis Blues may interest Spezza because they had the seventh-ranked regular season offence and power play and scored 14 goals in six playoff games. But their power play when just 3-for-15, worst of any postseason team. They have assets that would interest the Senators.

Regardless, any traction in the Ducks’ interest in Spezza should pique the Canucks’ interest. They’re not going to get a Kesler in return in any trade scenario, but Benning can easily ask for a first-round pick — the Ducks select 10th and would part with their 24th pick — and can offer up a centre and young wingers to aid in the re-construction of the Canucks, if it comes to that. And if that domino falls before this draft, then that No. 6 overall pick the Canucks possess can be in play in a package to push for No. 1 overall.

2. WING AND A PRAYER: At the crossroads of re-tool versus re-build, the Canucks have to take a serious look at their wingers. Daniel Sedin is a shadow of his former 30-goal consistency, David Booth and Alex Burrows struggled with injuries this season and while Booth looks set for a buyout, there’s also compliance buyout consideration for Burrows. Nicklas Jensen teased with his three goals in a four-game span but might not yet be ready for full time prime time. And we may never know the true potential of Zack Kassian, unless he’s given a long and serious shot to play in the top-six mix and not pined if he turns the puck over.

P.A.Parenteau (left) might be a fit for the Canucks. (Dave Sidaway / THE GAZETTE)

If the Canucks were a contender with a good blend of veterans and youth, I could see a play for winger PA Parenteau, 31, who has two years left at $4 million annually. But they’re not a contender. It’s the same deal with UFA winger Shawn Thornton whom Canucks president of hockey operations Trevor Linden has often referenced in the Boston Bruins’ four-line philosophy. Thornton will be 37 next month and you’d like to think Tom Sestito, 26, fits into that role at a tidy $850,000 ($750,000 cap hit). There are other ways to flank Brad Richardson on the fourth line, certainly younger options. After all, the Canucks could ice 10 players who will be 30 or north of 30 during next season if Kesler somehow stays. That’s sobering in a young man’s league.

The only way to get better is the trade route. Rumours are rampant that the Winnipeg Jets and Evander Kane may finally part company, but the asking price for the speedy yet mercurial 25-year-old winger — he has four more years at $6 million annually ($5.25 million cap hit) — is a top-six forward and a top-four defenceman and the flipping of first-round picks. Teams want to get bolder, not older, and I can’t see the Jets salivating over the Canucks’ roster. Even if you were to trade a young and talented and expensive problem for the same, the Canucks can’t even get in that game the way the Edmonton Oilers can with Nail Yakupov. It’s why that Ducks deal for Kesler could at least bring a decent centre, promising winger and a first-round pick.

3. WEISE HAS LAST LAUGH: When I did a story on fourth-liners this season, Dale Weise didn’t respond to a question because at the time he had been bumped to the third line. He would return to the seldom-used fourth line and used John Tortorella’s three-line philosophy as motivation when traded to the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 3 for defenceman Raphael Diaz. The right-shot Diaz was then dealt to the New York Rangers at the deadline for a fifth-round draft pick. We bring all this up for several reasons, especially with Weise signing a two-year contract extension Tuesday morning with the Habs after the restricted free agent earned $750,000 US this season.

Weise had won the fastest-skater competition in January at the annual Canucks’ skill show and would wonder aloud why he wasn’t played more. In his final two games as a Canuck, the winger logged 3:40 and 4:56 respectively. In his first game with the Canadiens, he played 12:45 and averaged 10:14 in 16 playoff games. Two of his three postseason goals were game-winners — a breakaway in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal against the Boston Bruins and an overtime effort in the opening round against the Tampa Bay Lightning — and he was often on the ice in the final minute of a game to protect a lead. Then again, he had just three goals in 17 regular-season games, but the Canadiens didn’t give up on him in the postseason. They saw something.

At 25, Weise is an example of everything the Canucks want in a bottom-six player — affordability, youth, skill, grit and fearlessness — and they basically gave him away. Oh, they can always find another fourth-line grinder in free agency or part of a package deal, but Torts never really gave Weise the chance to flourish. And that’s why you can hear Weise laughing all the way from Montreal.

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/06/17/canucks-hat-trick-kesler-trade-value-tops-spezza-wing-and-a-prayer-weise-has-last-laugh/feed/2Kesler. 5.0. jpegbenkuzma1Ottawa Senators' Jason Spezza wears eye black during practice for the Heritage Classic NHL hockey game at B.C. Place stadium in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday March 1, 2014. Spezza has requested a trade, and Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray says he'll try to make that happen THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck ORG XMIT: CPT110P.A.Parenteau (left) might be a fit for the Canucks. (Dave Sidaway / THE GAZETTE)(Thought No.1, he had some pretty great photos here)The 2 O’Clock: St. Louis just one of many driving the Rangers’ bushttp://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/05/12/the-2-oclock-st-louis-just-one-of-many-driving-the-rangers-bus/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/05/12/the-2-oclock-st-louis-just-one-of-many-driving-the-rangers-bus/#commentsMon, 12 May 2014 21:40:40 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=152333Finally.

I finally had one of those days that we on the West Coast brag about being able to have, but rarely have.

You know those days. The ones where we can ski in the morning and sail in the …

]]>Finally.

I finally had one of those days that we on the West Coast brag about being able to have, but rarely have.

You know those days. The ones where we can ski in the morning and sail in the afternoon. You’re welcome to substitute a couple of other sports, but the point being that we can use the mountains and the ocean on the same day. Amazing, isn’t it? Except we never actually do it.

On Saturday, I sort of did it. Up at Whistler, with my kids, we decided to hit Blackcomb in the morning. Weeks earlier, we’d bought a special pass which allowed us to ski for, basically, nothing until the end of the season. So up we went. It was fine. Not amazing. The visibility, for the most part, was poor and bordering on dangerous. The snow was sticky — so much so that there were times where we almost stopped cold during runs, surging forward in our boots as we expected to be vaulted out of our skis. Conditions, mediocre. The experience, still fun.

And so, at an elevation of about 7,500 feet, at the top of Seventh Heaven and sitting above a bed of clouds, we decided to head down. Ninety minutes later, we were in shorts, and on our bikes, zipping along the valley trail. It was warm, there were huge laughs, and we ended up in the village having ice cream.

There, we high-fived. We’d skied. We’d biked. We’d done it as a family — no whining, no complaints — and it was fantastic. At that moment, it was a priceless West Coast experience.

Here’s the 2 O’Clock:

SEEMS LIKE THE ULTIMATE TEAM GUY

Martin St. Louis lost his mom the other day, and was one of the heroes Sunday as the New York Rangers tied up their series with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After the game, St. Louis said a few things in the Rangers’ locker room.

It was, pretty much, as emotional as you’ll ever see a hockey player get. But Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault obviously isn’t surprised by what comes out of St. Louis’s mouth.

“Marty had said, ‘We don’t need one guy driving the bus, we need 20 guys driving the bus to have success in the playoffs,’” Vigneault told the New York Post. “He’s absolutely right.”

TRIBUTES FOR TEEMU

This has not been the greatest season for Teemu Selanne. It could have been, since he’s basically said it will be his last. Instead, he’s been dropped deep in the depth chart for Bruce Boudreau and the Anaheim Ducks, even suffering the indignity of being a healthy scratch for a game during the Ducks’ first-round series against the Dallas Stars.

Meanwhile, just two days before the Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC resume their Amway Canadian Championship semifinal, TFC’s Jermain Defoe made only England’s “standby” squad, meaning only an injury would get him on the 23-man team. And as Andrew Bucholtz of Yahoo.ca writes, this could be fantastic news for Defoe’s MLS club. (But will he travel to Vancouver this week? And would he run around on the B.C. Place turf that so many other prominent MLS players have chosen to bypass?)

Writes Ruby: “This, I suspect, will be the next generation of American sports fan. The one who shrugs at gay, because gay is just another kind of person, like tall or bald or funny or mean.”

NOT DESTINED FOR THE OLYMPICS

Ever heard of Lelo?

It’s a sport that, we are told by Jordi Perdigo and Cristina Aldehuela in Vice, is popular in a region of Georgia — the republic, not the state. A combination of rugby and wrestling, apparently, it’s played on land between two creeks — call them endzones — and it appears to be rather violent.

The Canucks are hoping to continue to avoid playoff elimination on Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks – a team they have yet to beat this season (0-3-1) …

]]>Ducks (50-20-8) at Canucks (35-32-)

TV: Sportsnet; Radio: TEAM 1040, 7 p.m.

The Canucks are hoping to continue to avoid playoff elimination on Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks – a team they have yet to beat this season (0-3-1) – in what will be the last visit by 43-year-old Finnish star Teemu Selanne.

“I think I have enjoyed it more knowing that it’s going to be the last time,” said Selanne, who announced before the start of the season that this would be his last campaign. “You try to take everything in. It’s going to be fun. You get to play some unbelievable years in this league. I’m very thankful I’ve been able to play for all these years.”

Selanne scored a league record 76 goals as a 22-year-old rookie in the 1992-93 season and 31 goals as a 40-year-old in the 2010-11 season.

Selanne has been getting a warm welcome as he makes his way around the NHL this season, playing his final games in the other 29 cities.

“It’s overwhelming,” he said. “It makes you feel really good, especially from the fans here. It’s been a great experience to go to these Canadian cities and play.”

“It’s unbelievable to see him out there year after year the way he performs,” said Canucks captain Henrik Sedin of Selanne. “It has to come to and end sooner or later. It’s so many things. Winning a medal at each and every Olympics has been amazing. I didn’t play back when he scored 76, but to score 30 when he’s 40.”

Although the Ducks have dominated the Canucks this season, they are coming off two straight losses, including a 4-2 loss to the Oilers in Edmonton on Sunday. There is some concern that No. 1 goaltender Jonas Hiller has not played well in those games, giving up seven goals in 95 minutes of action. Hiller has allowed 11 goals and has a .836 save percentage in his past three starts (0-2-1). Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau wouldn’t divulge who his starting goaltender would be, lending speculation that he might give highly regarded rookie John Gibson his first NHL start.A loss in regulation would make it impossible for the Canucks to catch Dallas, which has six points more than Vancouver and is in the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot. A tie would go to the Stars, who have more regulation and overtime wins.

The Canucks are coming off a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, but need to win their remaining four games to even have a chance to make a miraculous playoff appearance.

Eddie Lack gets his 19th consecutive start in goal.

It’s expected that injured defenceman Yannick Weber is well enough to draw back into the lineup in place of rookie Frank Corrado.

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/04/07/canucks-game-day-canucks-facing-elimination-again-as-teemu-makes-his-final-visit/feed/0teemujimjamiesonKevin Bieksa: “This time of year, there’s a lot of guys playing injured. If you can play, you play”http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/03/29/kevin-bieksa-this-time-of-year-theres-a-lot-of-guys-playing-injured-if-you-can-play-you-play/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/03/29/kevin-bieksa-this-time-of-year-theres-a-lot-of-guys-playing-injured-if-you-can-play-you-play/#commentsSat, 29 Mar 2014 19:05:30 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=148556The Frank Corrado call-up doesn’t mean an automatic sit down for Kevin Bieksa.
Bieksa took part in the Vancouver Canucks morning skate in preparation for tonight’s game against the Anaheim Ducks (7 p.m., CBC, Team 1040) and coach John Tortorella …]]>

Kevin Bieksa fans have reason to be happy. He took the morning skate Saturday and should play against Anaheim. (Province Files.)

The Frank Corrado call-up doesn’t mean an automatic sit down for Kevin Bieksa.
Bieksa took part in the Vancouver Canucks morning skate in preparation for tonight’s game against the Anaheim Ducks (7 p.m., CBC, Team 1040) and coach John Tortorella said afterwards, “he should be able to play.”
Bieksa seemed to hurt his right leg or ankle in a collision with Gabriel Landeskog in Thursday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. He left the ice in pain. He played a couple of shifts in early in the third period, but spent the rest of the game on bench.
When Vancouver promoted Corrado from their AHL Utica Comets team on Friday, the assumption was that he would get Bieksa’s spot.
Vancouver (34-30-11) is still holding out hope of getting into the playoffs. They’re five points in back of the Phoenix Coyotes (35-26-12) for the eighth and final postseason spot. Phoenix has a game in hand.
“Obviously I got through the skate OK. We’ll see how I feel later,” said Bieksa. “This time of year, there’s a lot of guys playing injured. If you can play, you play.”
Bieksa said that there was nothing dirty about the check.
“I saw him coming. I tried to get out of the way. He basically hit all leg,” said Bieksa. “It was just unfortunate.”
Vancouver has points in three straight (2-0-1) and five of seven (4-2-1) in their bid to qualify for the postseason. They’ve dropped their previous three efforts against Anaheim (47-18-8), all on the road. The last was that dubious 9-1 decision on Jan. 15.
“I feel like we’re a little bit different team lately,” said Bieksa. “The last month or so we’ve been playing some good hockey.
“The stakes are high for us right now. We’ve been winning games. We’ve been getting points. We’ve been doing what it takes.”
Eddie Lack, who gets his 16th straight start in goal for Vancouver, said that the 9-1 affair doesn’t factor into tonight’s festivities.
“It was such a long time ago. It would have been different if it was a week ago,” he said.
For the Canucks, Henrik Sedin (lower body) remains sidelined. Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said prior to his team’s morning skate the winger Teemu Selanne would get the night off and back-up Frederik Andersen would start in goal. Anaheim dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the host Edmonton Oilers on Friday.

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/03/29/kevin-bieksa-this-time-of-year-theres-a-lot-of-guys-playing-injured-if-you-can-play-you-play/feed/0steveewenKevin Bieksa fans have reason to be happy. He took the morning skate Saturday and should be ready to go against Anaheim. (Province Files.)Canucks/Ducks Post Game Quotes (I Wish Were Real)http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/16/canucksducks-post-game-quotes-i-wish-were-real-3/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/16/canucksducks-post-game-quotes-i-wish-were-real-3/#commentsThu, 16 Jan 2014 17:00:05 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=141310The main issue I have with post game coverage is the general lack of personality conveyed by the majority of the league. The NHL has some of the classiest athletes and coaches in all of professional sports, but sometimes you …]]>The main issue I have with post game coverage is the general lack of personality conveyed by the majority of the league. The NHL has some of the classiest athletes and coaches in all of professional sports, but sometimes you just want to hear someone go off.

No canned responses about “working hard”, “winning the battles” and “moral victories” (add those up, then add up the losses, see which one shows up on the NHL standings). I would love it if there was a bit more colour in those interviews and players said what they were really thinking.

Frederik Andersen – “I would hate to be on that side of the ice tonight. I don’t think I’ve had 7 minutes of 5-on-3 accumulative in my whole career”.

Ryan Getzlaf – “I can’t talk for long, okay? I have to go place a call to Steve Yzerman and see if he was serious about that Hamhuis guy”.

Corey Perry – “I would have traded at least 3 of our goals for another shot at hitting Alex Edler. This time, with enough of a head start, I think I’d be able to knock him back an inch or two”.

Tim Jackman – “When I fought Sestito, I made the mistake of actually fighting him. Our scouting report said to just do nothing, and he would get one of those new 7 minute penalties”.

Teemu Selanne – “I wasn’t being classy or anything like that after that last goal. After all these years and all these goals, I had finally lost all excitement about scoring. It’s a good thing I’m retiring after this season… probably… maybe…”

Paul Devorski – “Yeah, I know I’m the referee, but I played as big a part in dismantling the Canucks as any player on the Ducks. I didn’t think they’d let me get away with calling two 7 minute penalties with 7 minutes left in the game, then I realized… I’m “they”, so I did it. Hahahah”

Well now that we have heard from EVERYONE on the Ducks that factored into their big win, let’s see just how calm John Tortorella and the Canucks were…

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Head Coach John Tortorella – “You know what? These things happen. I’m not going to give you media guys or the league the satisfaction of blowing my top and freaking out. We’re just gonna put this past us, and focus on the nex- OH MY GOD ARE YOU F***ING SERIOUS!! THEY’RE GONNA KEEP GIVING US PENALTIES IN A 6-0 GAME WHILE KILLING TWO 7 MINUTE PENALTIES?! THAT IS AN OLYMPIC SIZED SWIMMING POOL FULL OF BULLSH**!! PAUL DEVORSKI, I WILL FIGHT YOU!! F*** THAT, I WILL EAT YOUR GODDAMN SOUL FOR WHAT YOU DID TONIGHT YOU STRIPE WEARING, PENALTY CALLING, GAME FIXING, INCOMPETANT PIECE OF MINOTAUR SH**!!!”

Eddie Lack – “Last time the Ducks ruined my birthday, this time they just ruined my day. Comforting to know it wasn’t personal last time and they are equal opportunity day-ruiners”.

Joacim Eriksson – “I’m never playing hockey again. F*** this!”

Henrik Sedin – “Who wants to bet I get a 7 minute hooking penalty during the next game? I’d say it would depend on who the ref is… but it doesn’t”.

Daniel Sedin – “We should could use a moral victory right about now instead of the epic butt kicking we just got. Sorry for swearing, I’m out of my mind with Swedish rage right now”.

Ryan Kesler – “I should have fought Sami Vatanen after scoring that ninth goal, but there were only four of us left on the bench, so it would have been pretty selfish.”

David Booth – “Look, there’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’, and I know that, but I just want to point out that there is an ‘I’ in ‘I played a good game tonight so we should be talking about that’. Actually, there are quite a few in there”.

Zack Kassian – “It’s going to take all my restraint to not hit any employees next time I go to Foot Locker”.

Jannik Hansen – “I can understand not fighting back against Sestito, but come on. Nobody turtles on Honey Badger”.

Chris Higgins – “Here’s a fun fact for you guys: I actually played tonight. Bet you had no idea, did you? Even more interesting: I’ve been playing for a while now.”

Alex Edler – “It’s nice to be back in the lineup, doing drop passes on the powerplay and being out of position pretty much always, but 10 goals against in 2 games back isn’t helping my trade value… or self-esteem”.

Dan Hamhuis – “The Lapierre hip check seems like forever ago. I’m back in early season form, scoring goals on my own net. All part of my plan to lure Team Sweden and Team USA into a false sense of security for the Olympics. Henrik, Daniel, Kesler and Edler all look at me like I’m an idiot. The plan is working perfectly”.

Jason Garrison – “I got barely four minutes of ice-time in the first period, but hey, at that point they were only up 2-0. Things got A LOT worse when they cut back my ice time”.

Yannick Weber – “Do not let these games be an indication that we should give up on the ‘Yannick Weber Powerplay Experiment’. It is much more beneficial to wait that out than to try the ‘Yannick Weber Utica Experiment’. Trust me”.

Kevin Bieksa – “At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if we started the next game with a 4 minutes double minor from something we did wrong during the warmup”.

(Wouldn’t surprise me at this point)

You can follow j.Bowman on twitter (@jBowmancouver). He already shops at Payless Shoes, so Foot Locker employees are safe.

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/16/canucksducks-post-game-quotes-i-wish-were-real-3/feed/0John+Tortorella+quotejbowman85DuckslogoPaul+Devorski+Canucks+biasCanucks logo(Wouldn't surprise me at this point)Canucks out for revenge against birthday-spoiling Duckshttp://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/15/canucks-looking-for-revenge-against-birthday-spoiling-ducks-instant-rivalry-preview/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/15/canucks-looking-for-revenge-against-birthday-spoiling-ducks-instant-rivalry-preview/#commentsWed, 15 Jan 2014 23:11:24 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=141191A lot of what makes professional sports so much fun to watch is a personal investment in the outcome. You have a your favourite team and players, but on the other side of the ice you have a team that …]]>A lot of what makes professional sports so much fun to watch is a personal investment in the outcome. You have a your favourite team and players, but on the other side of the ice you have a team that gets all of your hate for 60 minutes. They stand in the way of a big win for the team and players you love, and that unleashes such vitriol that it brings about a minor feud, a brief hatred and…

An Instant Rivalry.

Today on “The I.R.” – The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Ducks

Represented here by a logo that can’t decide which era of the team it belongs in:

Championships seem to be the first thing fans point to when discussing one teams dominance, so let’s get that out of the way first, shall we?

Stanley Cups – Ducks: 1 / Canucks: almost 2

Just like the Bruins, Kings and Blackhawks, the Canucks were decent enough to give the Ducks their patented “Championship Rub” (don’t google that if you’re at work) way back in 2007.

But it isn’t just the NHL title they have over the Canucks. When you break it down and look at the other big things the Ducks have won, they really make Vancouver look like a bunch of losers.

Minnesota Pee-Wee Hockey Championships – Ducks: 1 / Canucks: 0

Junior Goodwill Games Gold Medals – Ducks: 1 / Canucks: 0

Beating the Varsity – Ducks: 1 / Canucks: 0

On second thought, the Ducks may be the most accomplished team in the history of ever.

RECENT HISTORY:

These two teams met on January 5th (oddly enough right after the Canucks played the Kings) and the Ducks did something horrible and unforgivable. It was the rough weekend for Vancouver goalies, as Roberto Luongo was injured by Dustin Brown on Saturday, but the Ducks did something even more heinous and rage-inducing on Sunday.

They spoiled Eddie Lack’s birthday!

The Big Story Everyone is Talking About:

After “The Battle of Los Angeles” on Monday night in which the Canucks had a 9 minute PK to start the game, a lot has been made of the new toughness and aggression Vancouver has.

Either way you look at it, the Canucks and everyone related to them have intense fire right now.

With this new fire and a tough loss on Monday, expect the Canucks to play a more physical game as they look for retribution. If you think Dustin Brown had a target on his back, just imagine what the Canucks have planned for Corey Perry. He made the happiest goalie in the world sad on his special day.

(The payback party is tonight. Bring streamers)

Although not one known for his toughness, former healthy scratch David Booth will be back in the Canucks lineup tonight. He might not be a fighter, but we all know he has killer instinct. Just ask the animal kingdom.

EX-CANUCKS BEHIND ENEMY LINES:

Nobody.

Moving on…

BEST MOMENT IN CANUCKS VS. DUCKS HISTORY:

Unquestionably the epic, 13-round shootout on October 30th, 2008

MASCOT COMPARISON:

The Canucks have Fin, an anthropomorphic Orca Whale who has never appeared in a cartoon show.

(In case you aren’t sure, Fin is the one in this pic who is awesome)

Anaheim has Wild Wing, an anthropomorphic duck that loves fist bumps and looks like a roid-raged, juiced up version of Howard The Duck.

FUN FACTS:

– The Mighty Ducks were created by Disney after their highly successful “Mighty Ducks” film. You should already know this, because I have referenced it at least 8 times already and will continue to do so.

– Entered the league via expansion in 1993 along with the Florida Panthers who according to my records still exist. I will have to check on that though.

– Had to pay the Los Angeles Kings $25 million before entering the league in order to share Southern California. No word if part of that money was supposed to be used on duct tape to make a line down the center of SoCal, just so it’s clear who can like the Ducks and who can like the Kings.

– During the Ducks expansion draft, the first two players selected were goalies Guy Hebert and Glenn Healy (ha! even a backup in the draft). Healy was picked up by the Tampa Bay Lightning the following day and then traded to the New York Rangers LATER that day, where he enjoyed a nice view from the bench when they beat the Canucks in the Stanley Cup finals in ’94. He then went on to be the second-worst guy ever.

– Their first pick (4th overall) in the 1993 NHL entry draft was Vancouver’s own Paul Kariya.

(YEAAAHHHH!)

– The entire payroll of the first Mighty Ducks team was only $7.9 million. In today’s NHL that could buy you a Sedin, a Staal and 4 shifts from Steven Stamkos.

– The Mighty Ducks’ first game was at home on October 8th, 1993 against the Detroit Red Wings. Showing they had their priorities set from day one, the game was preceded by a 20-minute pregame show that cost $450,000 (or the same amount as their entire 3rd and 4th lines).

– Because a hockey team didn’t fulfill Disney’s need for cartoons, Disney subsequently madean animated series called “Mighty Ducks” featuring a fictional Mighty Ducks of Anaheim team that consisted of anthropomorphized ducks led by the Mighty Duck Wildwing. Yeah, it happened.

– Disney lost their freaking minds in 1995 when it decided to include Wild Wing on its third jersey. I don’t even have words for this…

(Wait, I found a word: “Garbagewater”)

– As a tie-in with the upcoming Olympics in Nagano, the Canucks played the Ducks in the first two games of the 97-98 season in Tokyo, Japan. The two teams split the series one game each, and have spent the last 16 years trying to schedule a rubber match.

– Lost in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals to the New Jersey Devils in 2003, but goalie J.S. Giguere (and his gigantic pads!) still won the Conn Smythe (playoff MVP) award.

– Disney sold the team in 2006. They now own Marvel Comics and Star Wars, so I think things turned out pretty okay for them.

– Until 2006, the team was still called “The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim”. New ownership (and ex-Canucks GM Brian Burke) decided it was time to stop being mighty, and start being real. They won the Stanley Cup a year later.

– Defeated the Ottawa Senators for their first (and only) Stanley Cup. Sadly the Sens did not have any players from Iceland on their roster at the time. That would have been a great story.

– To honour their roots, the Ducks wore their throwback jerseys for one night only at the start of this season.

(Bad ass)

– 18 years ago, the Ducks first traded for Teemu Selanne from the Winnipeg Jets. 18… years… ago.

– Contrary to popular belief, Head Coach Bruce Boudreau is NOT a fully grown up baby.

(He does want his “bah bah” though. But he should learn to use his words)

– The original name of the first movie was “The Mighty Ducks are the Champions”, because Disney stopped giving a single f*** about spoilers. It still appears as the title in the UK.

– Bill Murray was supposed to play Gordon Bombay instead of Emilio Estevez, but was deemed too old (which is ridiculous, because Bill Murray could have played Charlie Conway if he wanted to).

How about this underrated gem of a speech from “Mighty Ducks 3″ aka “The one where they learn how to play defense”

Also, aside from the cartoon series, the Ducks provided this video for the NHL Awards in 2010 which is absolutely hilarious.

Sadly we won’t get a sequel, because Bobby Ryan didn’t make the US Olympic Team this time around.

CELEBRITY DOPPLEGANGER:

Even though they only kind of look-alike, I’m going with Ben Lovejoy and Reverend Tim Lovejoy.

(If you squint… kinda, yeah)

COMPLIMENT SANDWICH:

I always liked Paul Kariya.

I don’t like how the Ducks brought back their old-school throwback uniforms for only one night this season. They bring up fond memories of triple dekes. Knucklepucks and horrible goalies named Goldberg.

I like how not even being next to Snoop Dogg can make Gary Bettman likeable.

(Sadly, the amount of busted caps in this photo is zero)

You can follow j.Bow on Twitter (@jBowmancouver). Final count on Mighty Ducks references unavailable due to high volume.

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/15/canucks-looking-for-revenge-against-birthday-spoiling-ducks-instant-rivalry-preview/feed/0Canucks-vs-Ducksjbowman85700px-DucksAlternate.svg(some were not prepared for it)(The payback party is tonight. Bring streamers)(In case you aren't sure, Fin is the one who is awesome)WildWing(YEAAAHHHH!)(Wait, I found a word: garbagewater)(Bad ass)(He does want his bah bah though. But he should use his words)(Chris Pronger heavily detracts from the awesomeness of this photo)(Dustin Penner: Pancake-eater)(If you squint... kinda, yeah)(Sadly, the amount of busted caps in this photo is zero)Canucks Game Day: Another audition for Booth, another chance to end Ducks’ home-ice dominance, Lain recalledhttp://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/15/canucks-game-day-another-audition-for-booth-another-chance-to-end-ducks-home-ice-dominance/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/15/canucks-game-day-another-audition-for-booth-another-chance-to-end-ducks-home-ice-dominance/#commentsWed, 15 Jan 2014 19:44:43 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=141195ANAHEIM, Calif. — David Booth was working out when the gang war erupted. No knives or guns, but plenty of punches, cheap shots, butt-ends and vulgarity were exchanged Monday at the Staples Center.

As a healthy scratch, the mercurial Vancouver …

]]>ANAHEIM, Calif. — David Booth was working out when the gang war erupted. No knives or guns, but plenty of punches, cheap shots, butt-ends and vulgarity were exchanged Monday at the Staples Center.

As a healthy scratch, the mercurial Vancouver Canucks winger didn’t see any of the bad blood that spilled over with the Los Angeles Kings. But he certainly heard about it. And now that Booth will be back in the lineup tonight against the mighty Anaheim Ducks — the league’s top team that is riding a seven-game win streak, has won 17 of its last 18 and is 19-0-2 on home ice this season — he should take the coach’s challenge to heart.

“I hope he sees how the guys played the other night because that’s how we need him to play,” John Tortorella said of the 1-0 setback that was spiced up by three fights, retribution and 109 combined penalty minutes. “We’ve got another guy coming from the minors and I want another forward with the back-to-backs.”

That forward is the 6-foot-6 Kellan Lain, who has 11 points (7-4) in 35 AHL games this season with the Utica Comets.

What Tortorella was really saying after Darren Archibald was dispatched back to the AHL, was that this might be a one-game audition for Booth. Play well and play Thursday against the Phoenix Coyotes. If he can’t be found tonight at The Pond, then expect a recalled forward to get a shot because that’s the only motivational card the coach can play with a player who was supposedly “banged up” on a few days ago.

With just five goals and 10 points in 32 games, Booth has never had traction this season. Coming off ankle surgery in March and a preseason groin problem, the winger often looked a step behind before using a power-skating coach to help get that step back. He scored in back-to-back games Dec. 14 and 17 but hasn’t had a sniff since which led to the “I can’t find him” lament from Tortorella. Booth’s DND — did not dress — total has reached 11 games and unless there’s a marked improvement in the $4.2 million US winger, he will be a compliance buyout this summer.

The Canucks shouldn’t lack motivation to hand the Ducks their first home-ice regulation loss since April 27. In a 4-3 overtime setback here Jan. 5, they blew 2-0 and 3-2 leads, were outshot 20-5 in the third period and gave up 49 shots. They were without the injured Roberto Luongo, the flu-ridden Chris Higgins and lost Zack Kassian in the second period when he was struck in the forehead by Sestito’s skate boot as the enforcer went to check Hampus Lindholm. A dazed Kassian was prone on the ice before leaving for treatment and didn’t return.

If that isn’t enough, the Canucks held a 23-8 shot advantage here in the first period Nov. 10 but were locked in a 1-1 battle, then gave up a bad goal and an empty-netter in a 3-1 loss. Two games they could have easily won and now Eddie Lack gets the chance to end Jonas Hiller’s 14-game win streak tonight — if the starter goes. Frederik Andersen was the first off the ice at the game-day skate. As for the Canucks, Roberto Luongo won’t dress as the back-up tonight and there’s no guarantee he’ll play Thursday in Phoenix.

Then again, when you’re 1-6-3 against California teams and have only mustered 15 goals, there should be cause for concern. The 23rd-ranked power play hasn’t struck in three games and is 4-for-34 the last dozen games. Kevin Bieksa was even spotted as a net-front presence in Los Angeles and when Tom Sestito was banished early for his aggressor role against an unwilling Jordan Nolan, the second power-play unit featured Zac Dalpe, Mike Santorelli and Jannik Hansen.

“You (media) guys tend to over-think things,” said Ryan Kesler, who has scored 13 of his 17 goals on the road which ranks fifth in the NHL. “If we weren’t getting chances, then I’d be worried. We’re going to those tough areas. I don’t think we’re built for that (scoring) type of team — we’re a defence-first team. And with our (top-ranked) penalty kill and our power play starting to step up, we’re going to get our goals. But this is a different team, a different coach and a different style of play.”

The Ducks have the third-ranked offence and Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are fourth and sixth in league scoring with 53 and 49 points respectively. With good depth, the Ducks willingly trade scoring chances and have a 13-point bulge atop the Pacific Division where they’ve gone 12-1-2. But they also beat Detroit 1-0 on Sunday to prove they can play playoff hockey in January.

“There’s a target on our backs,” said Ducks coach Bruce Bourdreau. “I hope we’re getting their (oppositions’) best shot because if they turn it up a notch, I don’t know if we can. We’ve won so many one-goal games and we’re playing as good as we can. Everybody is contributing and we move players around a lot and use 14 forwards.”

bkuzma@theprovince.com
twitter.com/benkuzma

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/15/canucks-game-day-another-audition-for-booth-another-chance-to-end-ducks-home-ice-dominance/feed/1Booth.6.0.jpegbenkuzma1Gallagher’s Canucks Hat Trick: The bizarre power play, the mysterious Bruce Boudreau, and please, Sedins, remember job No. 1http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/15/gallaghers-canucks-hat-trick-the-bizarre-power-play-the-mysterious-bruce-boudreau-and-please-sedins-remember-job-no-1/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/15/gallaghers-canucks-hat-trick-the-bizarre-power-play-the-mysterious-bruce-boudreau-and-please-sedins-remember-job-no-1/#commentsWed, 15 Jan 2014 17:17:38 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=141174Through the haze of all the physical fun and games on Monday night, there came an even more stark reality to smack the Vancouver Canucks in the kisser. And that was the giant goose egg which stood on the scoreboard …]]>Through the haze of all the physical fun and games on Monday night, there came an even more stark reality to smack the Vancouver Canucks in the kisser. And that was the giant goose egg which stood on the scoreboard at the end of the festivities at Staples Center. So, as the beloved squad heads into yet another meeting with the unbeaten-at-home-in-regulation Ducks in Anaheim this evening, they must digest the fact that other than Henrik Sedin’s post in the first period, they didn’t have another A-1 scoring chance the rest of the night against the Los Angeles Kings.

1. The power play, which has been something of an off-colour joke most of the season, reached hilarious Monday when the team tried a new and more bizarre lineup in its quest for some sort of respectability with the man advantage. With Tom Sestito having been banished for pummeling Jordan Nolan, we can only presume that Canucks assistant coach Glen Gulutzan asked colleague Mike Sullivan for the services of Kevin Bieksa to plunk in front of the net, to try to distract Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick. While they finally relented and put Yannick Weber on the first unit, they stuck Daniel Sedin on the other point with him and had Henrik firmly established on the left-side offensive boards, instead of on the right, where he’s done all his damage in the past. How funny was it? Well, given it’s in the rear view mirror and there is a new and perhaps even more twisted alignment to look forward to this evening, let’s just say it wasn’t as good as the penalty kill. Besides, you have to let these things go. But we, like the tweet in yesterday’s Provies also contemplated, wonder if an assistant coach has ever been fired in the middle of a season.

2. Do you ever wonder whether that first HBO 24/7 series, featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, really sold us a bill of goods with respect to now-Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau? If you remember those episodes, which aired in December 2010, Boudreau was portrayed as the foul-mouthed idiot who looked like yesterday’s coach with all his screaming at his Capitals players, who were going through a slump prior to the Winter Classic (the one in which Sidney Crosby suffered his first concussion). The fellow was made to look like a goof, even when he took his kids Christmas shopping in a mall and he wanted to stop for ice cream. It didn’t look like he could coach anyone, particularly today’s modern player, who is looking for motivation and technical help whenever he can get it. Yet that image didn’t jibe with all the success he had experienced as a coach in the minors. It didn’t jibe with the fact that despite that portrayal, he has overcome it and has the Ducks looking like perhaps the best team in hockey, at least to this point in the season. How can this be? Did they put together every piece of negative footage they had of the guy and show it, or do the Ducks excel when coached by a buffoon? If it was a matter of editing, why would they do something like that? It’s a head-scratcher. Whatever the case, full marks to Anaheim GM Bob Murray for reading the smoke signals correctly and getting the right guy for his team.

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/01/15/gallaghers-canucks-hat-trick-the-bizarre-power-play-the-mysterious-bruce-boudreau-and-please-sedins-remember-job-no-1/feed/1bruceboudreauovechkintggmanVan Provies: The Sedins’ slide, wild road-trip ride, Sestito’s promotion, lineup demotionhttp://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/11/10/van-provies-the-sedins-slide-wild-road-trip-ride-sestitos-promotion-lineup-demotion/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/11/10/van-provies-the-sedins-slide-wild-road-trip-ride-sestitos-promotion-lineup-demotion/#commentsMon, 11 Nov 2013 05:45:25 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=135063ANAHEIM, Calif. — Disneyland is just down the road and the Vancouver Canucks are home after a 1-2-1 rollercoaster ride that ended with a disturbing 3-1 loss to the Ducks. Here’s a closer look at what happened and what didn’t.…]]>ANAHEIM, Calif. — Disneyland is just down the road and the Vancouver Canucks are home after a 1-2-1 rollercoaster ride that ended with a disturbing 3-1 loss to the Ducks. Here’s a closer look at what happened and what didn’t.

BEST DOUBLE-TAKE 1.0

“Both games, [Kings, Ducks] there were moments where we could have taken over. We showed we can play with the best, but we didn’t come up to the standard of where we want to be the last two games. We’re battling. but it’s not enough.”
— Canucks captain Henrik Sedin, who like Daniel, has gone pointless in three games. Henrik was also a team-worst minus-3 Sunday.

BEST DOUBLE-TAKE 2.0

“Little things are costing us now — especially when Hank and myself aren’t playing the way we should. If we play the way we can, we should win this game. We should create way more than we have the last few games. Our third and fourth lines have played well the last few games. We haven’t.”
— Daniel Sedin, who has had nine shots the last three games.

BEST REALITY CHECK

“It [trip] was what we expected and it showed you just have to make the playoffs and the seeding is not going to matter too much. There’s too much depth in the Western Conference and you finish eighth and have a good a chance as anybody. But we need to find a way to score and it was a classic case tonight. You don’t show up to play — you’re going to get beat. You lapse for a couple of minutes, you’re going to get beat, especially in this conference.”
— Canucks winger Chris Higgins.

BEST PROMOTION REWARD

“Richie [Brad Richardson] made a good pass and a little one-timer. Nothing special. I’m just trying to do my best and play the body the best I can. We were pretty stingy tonight in what we wanted to give them and a couple of bad bounces and we end up losing.”
— Canucks winger Tom Sestito, moved to the third line, on his first goal in 20 games.

BEST DOUBLE-CHECK

There was more curiosity about the goaltenders who didn’t play rather the ones who actually did Sunday, which tells you a lot about the early excitement meter at the Honda Center. Jonas Hiller was expected to start for the Ducks and took the warm-up before becoming ill. Roberto Luongo was never supposed to start for the Canucks, but the starting line-up showed his number circled before the pre-game error was clarified so Eddie Lack could make his scheduled start.

BEST LESSON

“When you’re missing your captain, the third-leading scorer in the league, and arguably one of the best players in the world, you’re always going to miss him. The team wanted to show we can survive injuries because we have good depth. It gave other guys a chance to play and they stepped up to the plate.”
— Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau.

BEST KARMA CRAVING

“Hopefully, it’s going to even out.”
— Eddie Lack when asked if Corey Perry’s header-to-stick goal is a sign of disturbing times.

bkuzma@theprovince.com
twitter.com/benkuzma

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/11/10/van-provies-the-sedins-slide-wild-road-trip-ride-sestitos-promotion-lineup-demotion/feed/0Sedins.4.jpegbenkuzma1The 2 O’Clock: Could Hextall be the next Flyers GM? And speaking of ex-goalies with a temper, here’s some cooling-off advice for Patrick Royhttp://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/10/08/the-2-oclock-could-hextall-be-the-next-flyers-gm-and-speaking-of-ex-goalies-with-a-temper-heres-some-cooling-off-advice-for-patrick-roy/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/10/08/the-2-oclock-could-hextall-be-the-next-flyers-gm-and-speaking-of-ex-goalies-with-a-temper-heres-some-cooling-off-advice-for-patrick-roy/#commentsTue, 08 Oct 2013 20:59:42 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=131207I used to play a fair bit of backgammon online, but quit because I was frustrated by the people I’d play against. Mostly, it was fine. At Yahoo, you’d hook up with people from all over the world and, frankly, …]]>I used to play a fair bit of backgammon online, but quit because I was frustrated by the people I’d play against. Mostly, it was fine. At Yahoo, you’d hook up with people from all over the world and, frankly, most of them seemed like decent types. I know this because you could type back and forth, like Messenger, while you were playing. And whether they were from India or Hong Kong or Romania or Italy — yes, I played against people from those countries — they were perfectly pleasant.

But it was the people who weren’t perfectly pleasant who drove me away from Yahoo. The guy who’d write, “You suck, loser.” Which, of course, isn’t the sort of thing you’d say if, say, you were playing backgammon face to face. Or the guy who, losing the game, would just sit and sit and sit and never make a move, just waiting for you to forfeit the game out of frustration. “Are you going to roll?” I’d ask. The answer: “Why? Is something wrong?” Grrrrrrrrr.

So now I play regularly against my buddy P-Diddy. He’s a good player. Seems to be able to think two or three moves ahead, and there’s nothing I hate more than playing games against really smart people. P-Diddy is beatable, just not on a consistent basis. I’ll say this for him: He is human, almost to a fault. In a recent game that I was dominating, my rolls suddenly went cold and his got hot, and when he rolled double-6’s he was just one move from victory. Rather than glee, he looked stricken. I rolled. Double-6’s for the win. P-Diddy looked relieved. He’d felt really badly that he’d come back and was about to beat me. He couldn’t bear to win. And he didn’t. I love playing games against a class act. You’re a good man, Diddy.

Not a clue. We’ll see you at 2. And I swear you’ll get something other than hockey.

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/10/03/the-10-oclock-boyle-on-tortorella-the-guys-that-dont-have-thick-skin-are-probably-going-to-fall-apart/feed/0johntortorellapointsjonnymac68Who could replace A.V. as Canucks head coach? Former junior defenceman Steve Marr writes letter of recommendation for his Medicine Hat coach, Willie Desjardinshttp://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/05/09/who-could-replace-a-v-as-canucks-head-coach-former-junior-defenceman-steve-marr-writes-letter-of-recommendation-for-his-medicine-hat-coach-willie-desjardins/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/05/09/who-could-replace-a-v-as-canucks-head-coach-former-junior-defenceman-steve-marr-writes-letter-of-recommendation-for-his-medicine-hat-coach-willie-desjardins/#commentsThu, 09 May 2013 16:34:21 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=117390In the wee hours of Wednesday morning — about five hours after the San Jose Sharks had swept the Canucks in the first round of the playoffs — we here at Province Sports got an email from Steve Marr. Marr, …]]>In the wee hours of Wednesday morning — about five hours after the San Jose Sharks had swept the Canucks in the first round of the playoffs — we here at Province Sports got an email from Steve Marr. Marr, a defenceman who grew up in Kamloops, played his junior hockey for the Medicine Hat Tigers, and it was an amazing experience. So amazing, in fact, that he felt moved to write us — to recommend that his Tigers coach, Willie Desjardins, be considered as the next Canucks head coach. Desjardins is a rookie AHL coach, the new AHL coach of the year, and a rookie coach at that. His Texas Stars — the Dallas Stars’ farm team — open the AHL Western Conference semifinal against the Oklahoma City Barons Thursday night. Here’s Marr’s letter …

In the wake of the pursuit for our next coach, I am writing to recommend that the Vancouver Canucks shy away from an obvious replacement type: a veteran coach with loads of NHL games under his belt, Lindy Ruff being the first name that comes to mind.

There are a handful of coaches available who fit that bill, but recent trends have shown that a lot more teams have given a new-wave generation of coaches a chance; guys who have climbed up the junior/minor pro ranks, displayed tremendous success in that time, have more experience dealing with today’s generation of hockey player and boasting success at the NHL level. Most notably Dan Bylsma and Bruce Boudreau, one of whom is a Stanley Cup champion.

There is a candidate available who the Canucks should consider for their next coaching position: Willie Desjardins, currently of the AHL’s Texas Stars, would be the ideal canditate to succed Alain Vigneault. Having had an opportunity to play under Willie’s leadership for his first three years with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Willie was the sole reason for the complete, and quick, resurection of the Tigers’ program. After missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year, most years spent having the WHL’s worst record, Willie was hired and he turned our program into a Memorial Cup favourite just two years later in Kelowna, there as the WHL champions.

Willie has a vision and knows exactly how he wants his teams to play, and his style most notably is suitable to how the Canucks have been built. He knows exactly how to deal with his players because he understands that every player needs to be dealt differently based on their character and personality. He knows what buttons to push, and if and when he needs to push them. He knows how to get the best out of each individual so that they can contribute to their team’s success.

Willie’s teams are held accountable through their core values, their goals and their vision. His vision is very clear: to win a championship. His teams are successful because he gets the most out of his leadership groups. Groups that are carefully constructed to ensure every different friendship group, or cliques that come out of a dressing room, are on the same page. Willie knows how to utilize his team’s strengths, while constantly improving their weaknesses.

Simply put: In my four years in the Western Hockey League, and my four years of professional hockey, I have never come across an individual who loves to win more than Willie Desjardins. Just look at his resume. He’s won in every league he’s coached in. He was a league champion in Japan. He coached the Tigers to six, 40-plus-wins seasons in eight years, including two league championships and two Memorial Cup berths, while being recognized as the Canadian Hockey League’s coach of the year in 2005-06. He’s represented Canada at the World Juniors, having captured the gold medal as an assitant and a silver medal at the helm. He most recently has been awarded the Louis A.R. Pieri Award that recognizes the American Hockey League’s coach of the year, for the 2012-2013 season.

Through my experiences, I know a lot about hockey and I also might be the most passionate Canucks’ fan, so this recommendation is directed purely in the very best interest of the Canucks’ organization and comes directly from my heart, as there is nothing I want more than for this great franchise to raise their first Stanley Cup.

Willie Desjardins is the man to do it. Get him before the Dallas Stars hire from within.

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/05/09/who-could-replace-a-v-as-canucks-head-coach-former-junior-defenceman-steve-marr-writes-letter-of-recommendation-for-his-medicine-hat-coach-willie-desjardins/feed/8williedesjardins2009PICjonnymac68Canucks/Ducks Post Game Quotes (I Wish Were Real)http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/01/20/canucksducks-post-game-quotes-i-wish-were-real-2/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/01/20/canucksducks-post-game-quotes-i-wish-were-real-2/#commentsSun, 20 Jan 2013 17:30:39 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=104050For those unfamiliar with FPGQ (fake post game quotes, easier acronym than PGQIWWR), this is a regular post game feature I write that is completely made up and in no way represents the actual views or opinions of the players …]]>For those unfamiliar with FPGQ (fake post game quotes, easier acronym than PGQIWWR), this is a regular post game feature I write that is completely made up and in no way represents the actual views or opinions of the players named below.

Now to quickly check in with our lawyer to make sure that will keep us lawsuit free for the rest of the season:

Sweet! Back to our regularly scheduled Bowgramming:

The main issue I have with post game coverage is the general lack of personality conveyed by the majority of the league. The NHL has some of the classiest athletes and coaches in all of professional sports, but sometimes you just want to hear someone go off.

No canned responses about “working hard”, “winning the battles” and “making the necessary adjustments” (tonight’s adjustment would have been methamphetamine). I would love it if there was a bit more colour in those interviews and players said what they were really thinking.

Stuff like this:

Anaheim Ducks

Head Coach Bruce Boudreau – “We just f*$%ing went out there and f&$%ing did our f#^$ing jobs tonight. Also, I’m aware I look like a giant f&#%ing baby, so stop trying to get me to hold that f&#$ing rattle”.

Jonas Hiller – “Every road goalie was told to let in at least 2 goals for the home fans tonight, so really I only got scored on once”.

Ryan Getzlaf – “I’m not sure what those Green guys were talking about with their Rogaine dig at me. I’m pulling this look off.”

Corey Perry – “I was rumored to be traded for that guy?! And Raymond?! C’mon man”

Adam Banks – “I love eating cake”.

Teemu Selanne – “With George Parros gone, we all needed to pick up the slack, so I’ve taken it upon myself to grow some douchey facial hair.”

Sheldon Souray – “Whoa, I’m on the Ducks now? When the hell did that happen?”

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Head Coach Alain Vigneault – “Were we under prepared? Maybe a little. Our scouting report said Selanne retired in 2010, so…we didn’t really plan on having to check him”.

Cory Schneider – “So one bad game and everybody hates you, that pretty much the standard attitude around here?”

Roberto Luongo – (shouting from across the room) “How funny would it have been if Tyler Bozak was your backup, Schneids?”

Daniel Sedin – “Unfortunately we only prepared for this game by scrimmaging with ourselves. We were in trouble the moment we realized we weren’t playing the Grey Canucks team. All that scouting for nothing.”

Alex Burrows – “In retrospect, my offseason training regimen of ‘being an adorable little scamp’ might not have been the best way to get back in game shape”.

Ryan Kesler – “Enough about the game. Did you know for this week only Save-On-Foods is offering a buy one, get one free deal on select deli meats?”

Kevin Bieksa – “47-1 will still look pretty impressive come August. Wait, we have to play 48 games in how many months? Sh*t…”

Alex Edler – “I could barely hear the coaches instructions over the sound of the cash register in my head”.

Mason Raymond – “Don’t even start. I know it happened. We all saw it. Shut up.”

Keith Ballard – “I bet you $400 I get blamed for this. You can pay me tomorrow. I’ll be in the press box”.

Aaron Volpatti – “I did more for the #15 tonight that Tanner Glass ever did”.

Maxim Lapierre – “Just in case the fans were wondering, I still play here. In fact, I was on the ice tonight, just in case they weren’t aware of that”.

Chris Higgins – “I don’t know how many times I’m going to be able to use this to dodge interview questions, but….(lifts up shirt to reveal 9 pack abs)… satisfied?”.

Dan Hamhuis – “I don’t know if I can handle the pressure of being tied for the lead in Canucks scoring, but today is a good day to invest in Hamhuis!”

David Booth – “Ow”.

Jason Garrison – “Okay… maybe I’m not your white knight”

You can follow j.Bowman on twitter (@jBowmancouver). Win or lose, hockey is back and that is awesome. You can quote him on that.

]]>http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/01/20/canucksducks-post-game-quotes-i-wish-were-real-2/feed/0Schneiderquote2jbowman85SaulGoodman175.AnaheimDucksThirdLogoOrange.tophockeywallpapers.1365x1024Canucks logoDieHardJasonGarrisonCanucks/Ducks Post Game Quotes (I Wish Were Real)http://blogs.theprovince.com/2012/04/04/canucksducks-post-game-quotes-i-wish-were-real/
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2012/04/04/canucksducks-post-game-quotes-i-wish-were-real/#commentsWed, 04 Apr 2012 17:18:09 +0000http://blogs.theprovince.com/?p=69192The main issue I have with post game coverage is the general lack of personality conveyed by the majority of the league. The NHL has some of the classiest athletes and coaches in all of professional sports, but sometimes you …]]>The main issue I have with post game coverage is the general lack of personality conveyed by the majority of the league. The NHL has some of the classiest athletes and coaches in all of professional sports, but sometimes you just want to hear someone go off.

No canned responses about “working hard”, “winning the battles” and “not showing our hand” (C’mon AV, what is up with Bieksa? Is it the yips? You can tell us if it’s the yips). I would love it if there was a bit more colour in those interviews and players said what they were really thinking.

Stuff like this:

ANAHEIM DUCKS

Head Coach Bruce Boudreau – “… well f#%$!!!”

Jonas Hiller – “Sure, they scored 4 times on my, BUT I got to stay in the game, so that’s something I guess”.

Corey Perry – “I say it after every loss, but at least we didn’t have to play Iceland”.

Ryan Getzlaf – “Nice to get my first road goal since October. I score on the road less than a folk band’s touring accountant”.

Teemu Selanne – “Somewhere in Finland there is a painting of me that’s getting worse at hockey”.

Saku Koivu – “I wish Teemu the best of luck. He better retire. I want to be the old Finnish guy on this team who might/might not hang it up for once. Guy is killing me”.

Sheldon Brookbank – “Ugh, I feel terrible about trying to catch that puck and knocking it into the net. If I was a Columbian soccer player, I would move to Mexico”.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Head Coach Alain Vigneault – “When we were down 4-2 I called a timeout and told the boys Anaheim was still fighting for a playoff spot. It worked tonight, the Ducks are a good team, but it’s gonna be tough to convince them of that Saturday vs. Edmonton”.

Cory Schneider – “Why are you even asking me about the game, don’t you know my girlfriend is tweeting about it right now?” (All reporters feverishly check their phones. Schneider shakes his head in disgust).

Henrik Sedin – “When is it funny to start pretending Daniel never existed?”

Alex Burrows – “It’s great having Maxy out there, you know. Being the second most hated player on the ice really opens things up for me”.

Maxim Lapierre – “I’m just saying, Lappy on the 4th line? Impact. Lappy on the top line? Impact. You want a real goalie controversy? You know where to find it”.

David Booth – “Sorry about the penalty shot, everyone. I can relate. Finding out I don’t score on every penalty shot is like when I found out unicorns weren’t real. It was a rough night for all of us”.

Chris Higgins – “C’mon, someone had to tell him. I think we let it go on long enough. He was looking up Unicorn Farms on his iphone”.

Mason Raymond – “I slipped the camera guy $50 to zoom in on me when I’m on the ice for a goal. I would’ve gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for those meddling replays”.

Kevin Bieksa – “When I finally get my f&%ing water heater fixed, that is when I’ll stop taking maintenance days”.

Roberto Luongo – “In my defense, someone told our d-men the slot in front of the net was lava and if they touch it they’ll get burned. I thought they had outgrown that ”.

(It isn't the first time that's happened. At least Edler cares about Toews' safety)

You can follow j.Bowman on twitter (@jBowmancouver). He never once touched the lava. He was THAT good.

]]>There’s tons of NHL and Canucks hockey in the Oct. 6 White Towel, available in your Province. And there’s more here. Namely, loads of predictions from our writers.

The question: Pick the Stanley Cup winner.

Jason Botchford: The Washington Capitals will win, but only after Bruce Boudreau is fired in December.

Tony Gallagher: Trying to pick a Cup winner at this stage is a bit strange, but how about the Flyers. They’re another favoured Eastern son and they have an excellent team if Ilya Bryzgalov is all that he can be.

Jim Jamieson: Pittsburgh.

Ben Kuzma: Sharks my pick once again. Adding size to back end is the final piece of the puzzle. They now know the way in San Jose.